After fleeing the famine, my older sister and I married the brother next door.

After taking a sip of porridge, Mr. Chen said, "The family's grain is finally safely stored away. Everyone has worked hard."

Chen Dashan nodded: "Next, I'll rest at home for a few days to recuperate my leg. Then I'll hurry up and finish making the furniture set for Master He."

Mr. Chen said, "Okay, no rush, it's more important to heal your leg. Xiaohe and I will go up the mountain more often these few days and cut more firewood. There aren't many mountain products left, we'll be done after a few more trips."

Chen's mother said, "I'll continue to set up my stall in the county town tomorrow. I made over 500 coins today, and I'll go every day from now on. Every little bit helps."

Su Xiaoyin said, "Mother, don't worry. My sister and I can handle these chores around the house."

Chen Xiaohe asked, "Dad, are there still mushrooms on the mountain?"

Father Chen nodded: "There is some, but not much. We'll have enough in another three or four days. Then we'll focus on chopping firewood and storing up more for the winter."

The family ate and chatted, arranging the chores for the rest of the day. After the four children finished eating, they ran around the yard, chasing after the little dog they had found. The dog was no longer afraid of people and was being chased all over the yard by the children, barking loudly.

Su Xiaoyin looked at the children and dog in the yard, a smile appearing on her lips. She then looked at Chen Dashan sitting beside her; his leg seemed to be less painful tonight, and his complexion was better than a few days ago.

After dinner, Su Xiaoyin sat in the yard, holding the little stray dog—actually a yellow-haired mongrel she had picked up from the wooden shed a few days ago. A gentle evening breeze blew, carrying the coolness unique to autumn. Chen Dashan sat down next to her and reached out to stroke the dog's head.

"Does your leg still hurt?" Su Xiaoyin asked.

"I'm much better," Chen Dashan said. "I'll rest at home for a few days, and I should be fine."

Su Xiaoyin nodded and leaned on his shoulder. The puppy curled up in her arms, purring softly. In the yard, the children were still chasing the cat, their giggles drifting far away.

Mr. and Mrs. Chen sat on the porch, looking at the family, their faces full of satisfied smiles.

That's life, one day at a time. There are hardships and exhaustion, but also sweetness and joy. As long as the family is together, even the hardest days can be overcome.

----

"Dashan, are you home?"

Chen Dashan was sitting in the courtyard, examining a piece of wood carefully. Hearing the sound, he looked up and saw Brother De push the door open and come in. He quickly put down what he was holding, stood up, and brushed the sawdust off his clothes.

"Brother De is here, please have a seat!" Chen Dashan moved a stool over and went inside to pour a bowl of water. "Brother De, have some water. My legs are really tired from the autumn harvest, so I've been resting at home for a few days and haven't gone out."

Dege took the bowl, drank a sip, and sat down on the stool. He looked around; there were piles of timber and half-finished furniture in the yard, and a faint smell of wood wafted from the woodworking shop.

"Is your leg serious? Should we see a doctor?" De asked.

Chen Dashan shook his head: "It's an old ailment from after the injury. It'll be fine after a few days of rest. Xiaoyin has been giving me moxibustion every day, and it's much better now."

De Ge nodded, remained silent for a moment, and then got down to business: "Da Shan, my dad and a few old folks in the village discussed it and are worried that there might be disasters in the winter, like heavy snow or something. So they asked me to tell everyone to gather at the village entrance tonight; there's something important to discuss."

Chen Dashan's expression turned serious: "What is it?"

De Ge said, "Everyone saw how badly this autumn harvest went; several counties suffered disasters. Although our village harvested early, we still suffered considerable losses. My father's idea is that everyone should not sell any of their grain this year, except for the taxes they need to pay."

Chen Dashan paused for a moment, then nodded: "That makes sense. I heard that grain prices in the county town have already risen by 20%, but that's what's happening now. If there's another disaster, even if you have money, you won't be able to buy grain."

De Ge slapped his thigh: "That's exactly what he said! My dad said the same thing. But there are always some short-sighted people in the village who want to sell their grain when the price is high. What if there's a real disaster? We can't just watch them starve to death. So the whole village has to make a rule that no one is allowed to sell their grain this year."

Chen Dashan sighed, "Brother De, you're right. I was really scared by the heavy rain on harvest day. When the grain was still in the fields, my heart was burning with anxiety. Now that it's finally in the granary, wouldn't it be foolish to sell it again?"

De Ge nodded, then remained silent for a while. Looking at the timber in the yard, he suddenly said, "Da Shan, I'm also heartbroken. Although our family harvested early this year, we still lost several percent. In previous years, by this time, we would have already sold a batch of grain and felt at ease with the money in our account. This year, we dare not touch a single grain; we have to keep them all."

Chen Dashan comforted him, "Brother De, don't think too much. It's good that everyone is safe and the food is still there. We'll have to tighten our belts this year, but next year the weather will be better, and everything will come back."

Brother De gave a wry smile: "That's all I can think of." He stood up, ready to leave, then remembered something, "By the way, does your family still set up a stall in the county town?"

Chen Dashan said, "Sure, my mother goes every day, and she went again today. We've rented a stall, we can't just leave it lying around. Besides, we need to sell all those bamboo and wood carvings, and the embroidery that Xiaoyin and Xiaoqing make."

Brother De nodded: "Our family still goes there too. But we don't sell vegetables like we do in the summer anymore; we sell cooked food instead. My mother and wife braise things at home every day, like pig's head and offal, and then we take them out to sell. We also add some dried goods, and it sells pretty well."

Chen Dashan's eyes lit up: "Brother De, your idea is great! Cooked food keeps well and sells even better when it gets cold."

Brother De laughed: "Just some random thoughts. Vegetables don't keep well this year; they'll rot if you don't sell them all. But cooked food, once it's braised, will keep for a couple more days. If you want some later, come to the stall, and I'll give you a discount."

Chen Dashan laughed and said, "Okay, I'll remember what Brother De said."

Brother De waved his hand: "Then I'm off. I still have to go and inform other families. Don't forget to meet at the village entrance tonight."

Chen Dashan saw him to the gate of the courtyard: "Take care, Brother De. I'll definitely be there tonight."

---

After seeing Brother De off, Chen Dashan returned to the courtyard, sat down, and drank some water.

He thought about what Brother De had just said and felt a pang of emotion. Brother De was an honest man, and the village head's family was kind and considerate; they always thought of the villagers. This meeting tonight was indeed necessary. Grain was their lifeline; selling it now would be gambling with their entire family's lives.

He recalled what Brother De had mentioned about the cooked food business and pondered it. His own stall didn't sell food, so he didn't need to change it. But Brother De and his group were truly ingenious to come up with this idea. He could visit more often and learn from each other's experiences.

After sitting for a while, he stood up and went back to the carpentry workshop. There were still some finishing touches on Mr. He's furniture set. His legs had been aching these past few days, making his work slower, but he had to keep moving forward. He couldn't keep resting forever.